“The key issue facing the report authors was why many businesses have not introduced comprehensive risk management measures”

Cash totalling £1.5m over three years should be provided by the government to support at-work driving “safety champions” to promote best practice and the business case for managing occupational road risk nationwide. The fund, which would be used to organise a “systematic programme of outreach” to raise road safety standards, is one of the key recommendations of the Improving Work-Related Road Safety report by the Motorists’ Forum (see below).

Simultaneously, the report calls on the government to “positively affirm that it sees work-related driving as a key aspect of workplace health and safety, and to place work-related road safety monitoring on the same platform as workplace safety”. The key issue facing the report authors was why many businesses have not introduced comprehensive risk management measures given that:

• In addition to the many benefits that can arise through the effective management of work-related road safety, companies could also make substantial cost savings by adopting such practices. While there are few definitive studies in this area, anecdotal evidence suggests that at least 25% of fleet accident costs are saveable and that, in some cases, 75% might be achieved
• It was apparent that there is already a plethora of sources of good advice on how to improve safety. Therefore, the Forum did not feel that there was anything to be gained by attempting to produce a further good practice guide

Blaming a lack of awareness and management focus for almost 80% of companies not having a fleet risk management strategy, Forum chairman Sir Trevor Chinn says: “In our view, the main problem is ‘market failures’, which stand in the way of organisations taking the measures which would prevent accidents and deaths, and reduce their business costs, by making good work-related road safety practice an integral part of health and safety management processes.” The report says: “More should be done to energise and empower the networks that exist and that the issue of work-related driving be given a much higher profile, both within government and within employer organisations.”

It adds: “The objective is to stimulate awareness and communicate the good practice that is already out there. We would like all organisations to see work-related driving as an integral part of their health and safety management processes and afford it the management priority it deserves.” With as many as 1,000 road deaths and 13,000 serious injuries a year involving people who were at work at the time, the Forum concludes that a five-point action plan adopted by all companies could result in cost savings of the order of hundreds of pounds per vehicle per annum, better motivated employees and would avoid the risks of prosecution or death of key employees.

The five measures are:

• Identify the risks associated with typical journeys performed by employees
• Disseminate and promote a policy to employees that addresses these risks
• Give employees relevant training to make them aware of risks and give them the skills to manage them
• Monitor accidents (and near misses) and use information to improve training
• Consult and involving employees in this process

However, the report acknowledges that many companies need help to establish best practice occupational road risk management techniques within their car and van operations. Therefore, the “simple measures” are supported by a series of major recommendations (see right) aimed at overcoming the “obstacles” to change.

“Our study has emphasised the need for self-help by industry and other organisations in raising their standards”

Sir Trevor says: “Our study has emphasised the need for self-help by industry and other organisations in raising their standards, rather than looking to government or ‘someone else’ to solve the problem. “Reflecting this, most of the recommendations relate to the role we see for champions – people who have adopted and benefited from good practice in their organisations, and are prepared to give freely of their time and effort. “They need to spread the word to their business peers about their success in raising road safety standards, and the financial and other benefits to be gained. This can be done by speaking at business networking events and generally reaching out to other organisations with a significant workplace driving activity.”

It is intended that members of the Forum will play their part in this process, but Sir Trevor says: “We know that there are many other people who are ready and willing to be engaged. “But to make a real difference to road deaths and injuries, this voluntary outreach needs to be marshalled and deployed on a significant and systematic basis. For this to happen, government needs to provide funding that will allow for a substantial increase in the activities undertaken. This will require focusing a significant amount of funding resource, possibly of the order of up to £500,000 per annum for three years, in this area in order to support a concentrated programme of outreach.”

“Major employers where effective work-related risk management strategies are already in place should be enrolled as sector ‘champions’”

The cash initiative would also extend to the funding being used for advertising and promotions at major events to extend awareness. The Forum believes that the money will “unlock” the voluntary effort available, and says the funding should be viewed in the light of the annual toll of injuries and deaths estimated to cost business up to £2.9bn and possibly more. The report calculates that the cost of its recommendations equates to the saving of “half a life per year” but, in practice, estimates that its proposed measures could save “many hundreds of lives”. In conclusion, Sir Trevor says: “It is absolutely clear that there are major wins to be gained – both in reduced road casualties and to the bottom lines for organisations – by work-related road safety being tackled in a robust manner.”

The report can be accessed at: www.cfit.gov.uk/mf/reports/wrrs/index.htm

Improving Work-Related Road Safety report recommendations:

1. Government engagement
1.1 That it is a requirement for employers to report serious incidents relating to on-the-road work activities under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) – this is currently under consideration (see legislation pages ??)

1.2 The Department for Transport should act as a “champion” with other government departments and public bodies. The role of a champion within government would be the same as a business champion (see below), but would focus on engaging government departmental support for the concept and encouraging agencies with large workplace driving activity to implement best practice processes

1.3 The exemptions from seatbelt requirements that many professional drivers enjoy should be reviewed in the light of the negative signal this sends about the government’s commitment to road safety. Since 1 March, the users of goods vehicles engaged in delivering or collecting have had to wear seatbelts if travelling more than 50 metres. However, says the report, there are still other exemptions in place and the Forum wants these kept under consideration as such exemptions can potentially undermine a road safety culture

1.4 An early evaluation should be carried out on the effectiveness of the various road safety campaigns aimed at work-related safety. This review should similarly evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the Health and Safety Executive’s September 2003 Driving at Work guidance document in getting to organisations and influencing them to adopt good practice

2. Support for a programme of champion outreach
A systematic programme of outreach; that the government should be prepared to support the organisation required for this, with funding potentially up to £500,000 per annum, for a concentrated programme over three years; and that this is taken forward through an open competition

3. Support from other bodies
The police, Health and Safety Executive inspectors, trade union health and safety representatives, local authority road safety officers and local occupational and road safety groupings should take every opportunity to engage in publicity campaigns and speaking engagements to raise awareness

4. Large employer engagement
Major employers where effective work-related risk management strategies are already in place should be enrolled as sector “champions”, identifying specific issues in particular sectors, and act as advocates working through networks and associations in their sector, thereby contributing to the programme of outreach described in recommendation 2

5. Small and medium-size employer engagement
Medium and small-sized employers have been notably slower to endorse the practice of adopting work-related risk management strategies, therefore these companies should be engaged through business networks like the CBI, business links and trade associations, also contributing to the recommended programme of outreach

6. Communications
The launch of co-ordinated promotion and publicity campaigns between key players